Public Feedback on the Draft K-12 English Language Arts and Mathematics Common Core State Standards

 

The draft K-12 Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics are available for public comment until April 2, 2010. You may access the survey from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) website at www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753---,00.html. You will have the opportunity to comment on the K-12 Common Core State Standards. Since it was time to update the mathematics and ELA standards in a regular review and revision cycle, Michigan became actively involved with the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) including 48 states, the District of Columbia, and two territories that committed to developing common core state standards. The college and career readiness standards for mathematics and ELA, the first step in this initiative, were released for public comment in September 2009. Both sets of standards, college and career readiness and K-12 standards for mathematics and ELA, are expected to be finalized in early 2010.
The common core college and career readiness and the K-12 standards define the knowledge and skills students need to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing, academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards:

1. Build upon strengths and lessons of standards from all states.
2. Provide a comprehensive, cohesive, vertically aligned series of learning progressions that lead to a common definition of college and career readiness.
3. Align with college and work expectations and are rigorous, internationally benchmarked, and research-based.
4. Align well with Michigan’s ELA and Mathematics Grade Level Content Expectations and High School Content Expectations at the standard and topic levels.

Experts from Achieve, Inc., ACT, the College Board, the National Association of State Boards of Education, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers provided advice and guidance on the initiative. The work group for K-12 standards development is composed of individuals representing multiple stakeholders and a range of expertise and experience in assessment, curriculum design, cognitive development, early childhood, early numeracy, child development, English language acquisition, special education, and elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. The feedback group provides information backed by research to inform the standards development process by offering expert input on draft documents. This initiative provides more global and national input and expertise than what is typical of the standards development process in most states.

Please contact Deborah Clemmons at 517/241-2479 or clemmonsd@michigan.govwith any questions.